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SEX CONTROVERSY OVER TURKISH MOTOROLA AD

Published on April 20, 2001.

ISTANBUL -- The Prime Ministry's Women's Status and Problem General Directorate has lodged a complaint with the Supreme Board of Radio and Television about the "demeaning content" of a Motorola commercial that it claims uses a woman's body in an "exploitative manner."

The offending TV spot stars Turkish model Deniz Akkaya dressed in a provocative miniskirt and a low-cut shirt and sitting in the front row in a cinema. While she waits for the movie to start, she talks to her friend next to her about the attributes of the new Motorola mobile phone.

While they talk, a movie attendant escorting people to their seats repeatedly points his flashlight at Ms. Akkaya's legs. Eventually, the enraged model turns to the attendant and says: "Don't you have anything better to show?" The attendant quickly replies: "Sure I do," and proceeds to beam the torch on Ms. Akkaya's blouse.

The attendant then tells one member of the audience to "sit behind the lady," a phrase which in Turkey has an added vulgar connotation.

The Women's Directorate argues that "portraying a woman as a sexual object in the media reinforces the sexual prejudice against women and destroys woman's identity as an individual. This commercial is the latest example of this."